I Will Always Love You
by elsiecarson
Summary: Boyd and Grace and Grace's mother and her kids are all spending Christmas Day at Grace's house. Boyd and Grace are going to his mother's for Boxing Day. Did someone miss a present under the tree? How does this one gift change lives?
1. After Christmas Dinner

Boyd and Grace are sitting on her couch, sipping tea, and looking at the Christmas tree. Grace's mother is sitting in an armchair nearby and her girls are in the kitchen washing dishes from Christmas dinner. Boyd smiles contentedly. "Dinner was very good Grace." Boyd softly kisses the top of Grace's head.

"Thank you, Boyd. Do we need to take anything to your mother's family dinner tomorrow? I forgot to ask earlier." Grace asks.

"No, I bought some wine to take with us, but she told me not to let you bring anything. She was quite adamant about that." Boyd says teasingly.

"Would she be terribly upset if brought some of my candy cane shortbread as a peace offering for dating you? I want her to like me." Grace sounds nervous.

"She will like you, but a little candy cane shortbread might not go amiss. My brothers would appreciate it. Don't be nervous. I'm right here with you." Boyd reassures Grace.

"So, you're off to the Boyd family Christmas tomorrow, then? That ought to be interesting. Did you get everyone a present?" Grace's mum, Eileen, asks her daughter.

"Yes mum, we did get everyone a present." Grace tries not to be upset with how not reassuring her mother is being. Her mother hasn't been very supportive of this relationship from the start.

"You'll be fine, sweetheart. Just relax a little bit and let Peter take the lead. That's the safest and trying to bribe his mother isn't such a bad idea ether." Eileen smiles at her daughter.

"Grace, look at me for a minute. Mum is really excited to meet you. Everything will be fine tomorrow. I have faith in you. Mum will like you better than my ex that's for sure. Besides, my brothers will protect you too. They're good that way." Boyd sets his empty mug down and holds Grace in his arms.

"I like your brothers." Grace smiles against Boyd's chest. Boyd's brothers are very similar to Boyd.

"I know you do and they like you very much so you are pretty much safe with mum." Boyd smiles down at Grace.


	2. One Lonely Present

"The dishes are all done mum." Grace's girls say as they sink onto the sofa next to their mother.

"Thank you, my sweethearts. It was very nice not to have to do all the work today." Grace says to her girls.

"Hey, it looks like we missed a present!" Grace's daughter, Emily, dives under the tree to retrieve the small present. "It's got mum's name on it, but I don't recognize the handwriting." Emily passes her mum the box.

"I don't recognize the writing either." Grace seems confused. She knows there weren't any presents there earlier.

"Maybe Father Christmas brought it." Boyd teases Grace.

"I think I'm a little old to be believing in Father Christmas, Boyd. Besides, Father Christmas doesn't come until tonight." Grace teases Boyd as she carefully opens the present. She never ruins wrapping paper.

Boyd watches Grace carefully. He knows what's in the present, but he's the only one who does.

Grace shakes a ring box into her hand. She looks surprised. She opens the box almost nervously. Inside the box is a diamond engagement ring. "Boyd?" Grace asks tearfully as she turns towards Boyd.

"Don't cry Grace. It's meant as a sweet gesture, I promise." Boyd kneels in front of Grace. "I love you. I never want you to doubt that. I'm proud of being with you and I don't want you to feel any differently, ever. You have let me be a part of your family and I want you to be part of my family. I'm tired of how people talk about you because you're with me. I don't want you to feel like you're just another conquest to me. Marry me Grace. Let's show the world how much we love each other." Boyd says passionately.

"Oh Boyd, that's so sweet. The gossip never bothered me, you know that. If this is really what you want, if you're serious about this then, yes, I will marry you. I love you, Boyd." Grace says sweetly.

Boyd stands up and gently pulls Grace to her feet. He softly kisses her. "Thank God you said yes so I didn't look like such an idiot. Now mum doesn't have any recourse with you. I'm very serious. You make me very happy."

"Well, your mum's going to get a huge surprise tomorrow. Will you put the ring on for me?" Grace asks happily.

Boyd takes the box from Grace, carefully removes the ring and slides it onto her finger. "Are you happy, Grace?"

Grace leans over and firmly kisses Boyd. "I'm very happy. You did a good job with the ring. It fits beautifully. How on earth did you manage that?"

"You were wearing a ring, on your ring finger one day, and you set it down the bedside table that night. I'd been looking at rings for ages. I put the ring in my pocket, went to the jewellery store, found the ring I wanted, bought it and got it sized using your other ring and then brought the ring back to you so you wouldn't miss it. I had to be sneaky." Boyd smiles cheekily.

"Let's see mum! What kind of ring did Boyd get you?" Emily asks excitedly.

Grace turns and shows her daughters the ring. "Boyd, you did an excellent job! You have very good taste!" Grace's daughter, Anna, praises her future stepfather.


	3. Are You Questioning Me?

"Grace, are you sure about this? You and Boyd are awfully set in your ways." Eileen asks seriously.

"Yes mother, I am sure. I wouldn't have said yes unless I was. I can't actually believe you just asked me that. That's actually insulting to me and it's not very flattering towards Boyd. I know he's not perfect and he knows he's not perfect, but we love each other very much. Don't undermine our relationship be asking me questions like that." Grace seems frustrated with her mother.

"Grace, relax a little bit. Your mother is just protecting you the same way you would with your girls." Boyd hugs Grace tightly from behind as she shifted forwards towards her mother when she spoke. "Listen to me for a minute. I love you very much and that's never going to change. This reaction may be typical of the people we know. We're two very different people, Grace."

"I love you, Boyd. Isn't that all that matters? Aren't we the only two whose opinions matter?" Grace asks earnestly.

"Yes Grace it is all that matters, but we don't exist in a vacuum or in isolation. We have to be delicate, which I admit is not my forte." Boyd says gently.

Grace buries her head in Boyd's chest and smiles. He does have a certain sweetness about him that is very endearing.

"You are so sweet when you speak about mum, Boyd. It's really sweet to hear. I'm glad the two of you are so happy." Emily says honestly. "I'm off to bed. It's been a very long day. Night mum. Congratulations. You deserve to be happy. Welcome to the family Boyd."

"I'm off to bed too, Grace. I'll see you in the morning." Eileen kisses her daughter's cheek.


	4. Talk to Me

"Mum, can you and Boyd and I have a celebratory drink before I go to bed? Out of my sister, grandma, and I I've been home the least, so I feel like I know Boyd the least." Anna requests of her mother and her mother's fiancée.

"Of course we can. That sounds like a wonderful idea." Grace smiles at her younger daughter.

"There happens to be a half size bottle of champagne in the fridge. Come and have a glass with us to celebrate." Boyd suggests to Anna.

"I am not going to drink your celebratory champagne. I'll make us coffee with Bailey's." Anna heads into the kitchen.

"We'll have the champagne after Anna goes to bed. I want to celebrate with you." Boyd softly kisses Grace.

"You're being so sweet, Boyd. I love you so much." Grace smiles broadly.

"Here we are." Anna comes into the room carrying three mugs of coffee with Bailey's. She sits next to her mum and cuddles against her. "You look so happy, mum. It's really nice to see. It's been a long time since I've seen you this way. You haven't been this happy since dad left."

Grace puts her arm around Anna's shoulders. "You're right. I haven't been this happy in a very long time. Despite all the other things that happened this year I am very happy."

"What things?" Anna asks softly.

"There were some cases this year that tested my relationship with Boyd. There was one that nearly destroyed us. There was my cancer scare earlier that turned out to be nothing, but tested my emotions. It scared both of us." Grace tells her daughter.

"Mum, you never told Emily and I that! Why didn't you tell us?" Anna asks sitting up and looking at her mother.

"I decided not to tell you unless I actually was diagnosed with cancer. Boyd didn't agree with my decision. I didn't want to worry you. I'm fine." Grace says gently.

"Oh mum, that's so like you. You could have told us, you know." Anna finishes her coffee and says, "I'm going to go up to bed. Have a good time you two." Anna hugs her mum and then Boyd. "Thank you for making my mum so happy." Anna whispers in Boyd's ear.


End file.
